The members of the DA had quickly learned to not question her presence in those meetings between Bridget's glares and Ginny's threats, not to mention Harry's insistence that anyone who wanted to be there deserved to be in there. Some of the other members had even become friendly with her, the Weasley twins taking her on as almost another sister-"She actually smells like a girl, Forge!" "By Jove, you're right Gred!"-and Padma Patil had shyly asked for some pointers on her Bedazzling Hex.
But not all of the DA members were so gracious. Zacharias Smith had taken to making loud comments about the history of Slytherin House, which "You-Know-Who himself" was a member of. Several of the muggleborns had taken to hitting her with tripping hexes whenever they had duelling practice. And then there were the other two-thirds of the Golden Trio themselves. Ron, she had the feeling, would have been willing to live and let live if not for Hermione's constant suspicion. The older girl was always quick to interrupt any conversation between Harry and Evanna, not leaving them alone after DA meetings again. That may have been more effective had Harry not been meeting with her still in the Chamber of Secrets.
Her student had come quite a long way in the few weeks they had been practicing together, and had come even further as a teacher to the DA. Evanna was proud of his progress, and rightly so. And if there had been moments where they had paused in their training, a little too close for comfort…. Well, maybe she was not so proud of the way her heart had pounded in her throat and how her voice had gone wobbly as she sought to put the proper distance between them. She dared not consider whether the disappointment she felt in those moments was her own or Harry's.
Theodore and Parkinson had continued dating, the obnoxious girl all but sitting in Theo's lap in the Common Room. Evanna was surprised at the pang of hurt in her chest at the sight. She was not surprised, however, at the way the Slytherins divided over the new development.
"Good for him-little Malfoy always had her nose up in the air-"
"-Nott is an idiot throwing the Heir over for Parkinson-"
"-heard she's been running round on him with filth from all the other Houses-"
"-can't even keep her boyfriend interested, how is she supposed to be some great-"
"-wait until the Dark Lord hears-"
"I could hex them all for you," Elin said bluntly in the Common Room as she took a seat next to where Evanna had been reading. "Starting with pug-face."
Evanna looked over where Parkinson had given an ear splitting giggle at something Theo had said in her ear and sneered.
"Don't bother. Unless you hear them talking about me outside of this classroom," she said, eyes landing on one of the more insistent gossiper-a sixth year girl named Aurora Selwyn-as she said a little louder. "I should hate to have to inform my father how my identity came to be known by Dumbledore or the Ministry."
The girl flushed red and scurried off, likely to inform her little gaggle of this latest interaction with the heir. Evanna rolled her eyes as Elin smirked.
"Impressive," she said. Evanna shrugged. "I can see why my brother is so keen to take you to Hogsmeade."
Evanna just shook her head and returned to her book-Slytherin's diary. It had been slow going reading the archaic text, and Evanna had yet to find why he had left Hogwarts, but as she read about his worries of his daughter visiting a muggle squire in the nearby village, she had her suspicions.
With cooler weather came the return of the quidditch season, distracting both Harry and Draco equally. As relieved as Evanna was to not have her brother questioning her lack of interaction with Nott and her nightly disappearances, she was also rather disappointed to not be meeting with Harry in Chamber of Secrets near so often, even if she still got to see him during DA meetings.
The morning of the Gryffindor Slytherin match, Theo had approached Evanna in the Common Room to ask her to attend with him, as both Lucius and his own father would be in attendance.
"I don't normally attend quidditch games," Evanna hedged. It was true-the heightened emotions and all of the school gathered in one place tended to set her teeth on edge and cause a massive headache. She was more in control of her powers than she had ever been, but still did not care much for loud crowds.
"I know that but I thought it might be a good idea-"
"I'm not going to marry a boy who prefers Pansy Parkinson," Evanna said coolly.
"I don't-"
"For that matter, I'm not marrying anyone that I don't choose for myself," she went on stubbornly. "No matter who arranges it."
Theo had gone the most peculiar shade of pink. "Salazar, Evanna, I'm just trying to make the best of things."
Evanna studied him for a moment, not going so far as to read his thoughts but testing his sincerity. She pursed her lips but inclined her head slightly.
"I don't much like the idea of being told who to marry either, but the way I see it, if we don't at least put forth a good faith effort, it will be that much harder to get out of it later," he continued. "So, please, would you go to the quidditch game with me?"
Evanna considered his words. It was certainly true that her father did not seem the sort of man to take her refusal to his arrangement lightly. Professor Snape had not even dared to arrange a meeting with the Dark Lord for her, no matter how much she begged. Still, Nott had not been discreet in going around with Parkinson since their break-up, a fact that had not gone uncommented on in or out of their House.
"On one condition," she said. "So long as this betrothal is in place, you don't continue to prance around with Pansy in the Common Room."
Annoyance flashed across his face.
"Fine, then you don't continue to prance around on your secret dates with Potter," he snapped back.
"You have no right to who I choose to spend time with," Evanna said. "Besides, I'm hardly secretly dating Harry Potter."
Theo snorted. "Then you've no right to tell me who I can and cannot be with in the Common Room!"
"I am the-"
"And I'm your betrothed, but we both know all of this is hippogryff shite," he said. "I was just trying to help keep up appearances."
Evanna pursed her lips and he sighed.
"Pansy and I will try to be more… discreet," he said slowly.
"Fine. Let's keep up appearances," she said.
Theo chuckled. "The exact amount of enthusiasm I look for in all of my dates."
Evanna rolled her eyes. "Why Pansy any way? She's obnoxious."
"She doesn't like you, you mean," Theo said wryly. Evanna glared at him. "She-she's a normal girl. Mean as a serpent, yes, but normal."
Evanna looked away from him. "Am I really so terrible?"
"No, you're not terrible. Far from it," he said softly, looking at her intently. "Maybe… maybe we could be friends?"
"My father barely tolerated you as a suitor. You really think he'd tolerate a friend?"
Theo chuckled. "Ally, then? Minion, perhaps?"
Evanna laughed at that. "I like the sound of minion."
"There is the Malfoy pompousness we all know and love!"
Evanna swatted at him, before informing him that she would meet him in the Common Room in exactly forty-five minutes once she had gotten ready for the game. His question of why it would take so long to get ready for a quidditch match that one was not even playing in died on his lips at her glare.
They arrived at the pitch exactly fifty-five minutes later, Evanna almost immediately regretting having agreed as they climbed the stands. She rubbed at her bracelet, almost willing it to be more effective at all the adolescent excitement surrounding her. Theo didn't seem to notice or care about her discomfort as he drug her to where guests to the school took their seats.
"And there is the happy couple!" Nott Senior exclaimed proudly as soon as they were in ear shot. The man looked like the cat who had caught the canary, and felt like it too. Evanna had to clamp down on her annoyance at the proclamation, even if she was willing to be friends with Theo again. She hated the thought of someone else controlling her life.
Lucius was right beside Nott and Evanna nearly shuddered as his icy gaze locked on her.
"Yes, I am sure my princess is most pleased," he said. Testing her. Baiting her.
Theo had taken Evanna's hand and squeezed lightly. A game. This was all a game of politics they had to play. Perhaps over Christmas, privately, she would be able to talk her father out of this match, convince him that as the heir of Slytherin she should be able to choose for herself who she wished to marry. If she wished to marry. But, with Lucius's predatory gaze on her and her father so many miles away, perhaps it was not so bad to be on the arm of a betrothed.
"I only hope my betrothed is as happy as I am," Evanna demurred. "Now, isn't it time we took our seats, Theo?"
"Yes, of course," he said. "Sorry, Father, Evanna insists we cheer on our team with the rest of our House."
"But of course! You are only young once!" the man said with a wink. "As the princess wishes."
Such a tiny little thing. Theodore will have no trouble with her-as soon as my boy sires the next heir, we could take our place at the top.
Evanna narrowed her eyes at the man. "I am loyal to my House," she said. "I am sure that you remain loyal-as Slytherin alumn, of course."
Theo seemed rather alarmed as he took in her icy tone-the same voice she had used on unruly Slytherins who talked too much outside the relative safety of their Common Room. Nott Senior, too, seemed to hear the threat in her voice and paled slightly. Lucius smirked.
"Of course-Slytherin ties run deep," he said a bit hoarsely.
"It's rather tattooed onto our souls, I should say," Evanna replied, giving what could only be called an evil grin.
"C'mon, Ev," Theo said somewhat urgently. "The captains are about to shake hands."
Evanna allowed herself to be pulled away. As soon as they were out of earshot of the older men, Theo whirled on Evanna.
"What the hell was that?"
"Your father," she barely refrained from spitting, "needed reminding of who I am and that I will not be controlled by the likes of him, no matter our status."
Theo blinked, then shook his head. "I really don't understand you, you know."
"What don't you understand?" she challenged, the rest of what she wanted to say clear in her eyes: I am the Heir.
"You hang around with rabble from the other Houses, you don't even seem to care that your dorm-mate is a half-blood," he rattled off in a low voice. "You have been friends with Harry bloody Potter since your first year-don't try to deny it. I'm not an idiot."
"What is your point?"
"My point is-you are you," he said. "You're not meant to pick a side. Your side was chosen at birth. Yet, you seem to prefer one side over the other, and it's not the side you should."
"Be careful, Theo. We may be friends, but-"
"And that's the other thing," he snapped. "You can't seem to tell the difference between someone threatening you or trying to manipulate and someone who genuinely cares about your wellbeing."
Evanna didn't know quite what to say to that, and so watched the quidditch game instead. Slytherin lost, mostly due to her brother's preference of making fun of Harry over actually going after the Snitch. Another reason she didn't like quidditch. As if he had not learned his lesson in the air, Draco then proceeded to shout enough insults that not only Harry, but one of the Weasley twins had charged him, the other having been held back by his twin.
"Before you ask, Nott," she said as she stood to tend to her wayward brother, "I am not attending the next quidditch game."
A/N: Sorry if that was filler-y. Been in a quarantine funk this week and desperately needed to turn it around. I also did a drawing of Evanna for the first time in years that you can find here- blog/macadoodle1996.
Funnily enough, my friend also informed me tonight that as my birthday present, she had commissioned a piece of Evanna/Harry art for me! So be on the look out for that!
Hope you enjoy!